Herbs that help you improve your mood

Improve your mood and fight stress with natural remedies

Daily stress is a body’s physiological response to a series of negative stimuli that are experienced at work, with family or anxiety caused by thoughts of concern about the future. Of course there are people more or less susceptible to stress, mood swings and depression, but beyond a person’s character type, everyone has felt down, particularly nervous or agitated at least once in their life.

Herbal medicine can help relieve those feelings because they contain herbal extracts which contain principles that can help you relax or cheer you up if you’re feeling sad or depressed. Some plants are specifically used to balance mood swings during menopause, others help fight seasonal depression or help keep you calm when your nerves are on edge.

Plants that help you relax and improve your mood

St John’s Wort (Hypericum) is a plant known for its ability to help balance mood. St. John’s Wort is an herb that gets its name from the period of year in which its plant blooms and has been recognized for centuries for its natural principles (one of which is hypericin) that help promote relaxation and mental well-being. St. John’s Wort can be taken in the form of a dietary supplement, and given its effectiveness, we advise consulting a pharmacist or herbalist you trust in order to make sure that this type of supplement doesn’t conflict with any other medicines or birth control you may be taking.

Lemon balm and lavender are also known for promoting relaxation. Lemon Balm is known for its relaxing and soothing properties, as well as being popular for its sweet aroma; while lavender is used in infusions that help you relax, or used in aromatherapy treatments for its essential oil because it helps relieve anxiety and depression. In fact, through smell, aromatherapy provokes a sphere of emotions, memory, sensitivity and everything else related to cognitive function.

Dietary supplements containing vitamins and minerals may also help restore emotional balance. Magnesium is particularly known for playing an important role in nervous system health and normal psychological functioning. In fact, foods rich in magnesium such as nuts, pumpkin seeds, brown rice, spinach, artichokes and peas should be a part of your daily diet. During periods when you may have a magnesium deficiency, you should take a natural supplement until your normal magnesium levels in the blood are restored.

Good habits to have that can help improve your mood

Taking dietary supplements and herbs isn’t the only way to keep your mood balanced. Diet rich in substances that have antidepressant qualities can help you overcome periods of anxiety and stress. For example, besides the foods we described in the previous paragraph, pollen is rich in B vitamins and there are nutrients that stimulate the production of serotonin, which is known as the “happy hormone”. Regular exercise can also keep your mood balanced along with your body’s overall health: It’s a well known fact that a healthy body is a key element to a healthy worry-free mind.

As always, it is important to keep in mind that food supplements should not be considered a substitute for a balanced diet. Also, if you have depression or anxiety that persists for long periods of time, then you should definitely see a medical specialist.

ESI South Africa

ESI SA began in 1998 with a focus on cultivating healthy lifestyles in environments where modern-day stress corrodes well-being.